Matsyendrasana


Matsyendrasana, Matsyendra's Pose or Lord of the Fishes Pose, is a seated twisting asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. The full form is the difficult Paripurna Matsyendrasana. A common and easier variant is Ardha Matsyendrasana. The asana usually appears as a seated spinal twist with many variations, and in its half form is one of the twelve basic asanas in many systems of hatha yoga.

Etymology and origins

The name comes from the Sanskrit words परिपूर्ण Paripurna, perfected; मत्स्येन्द् Matsyendra, one of the founders of hatha yoga, whose name in turn means "lord of the fishes"; and आसन asana, posture or seat; अर्ध ardha means half.
The asana is medieval, described in the 15th century Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā 1.26-7, which states that it destroys many diseases, and the 17th century Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā 2.22-23.
Yogi Ghamande chose the asana for the cover of his historic 1905 book Yogasopana Purvacatuska; he represented the pose using a halftone plate, giving for the first time a realistic impression of the body of the yogi.

Description

One foot is placed flat on the floor outside the opposite leg and torso twists toward the top leg. The bottom leg may be bent with the foot outside the opposite hip or extended with toes vertically. The arms help leverage the torso into the twist and may be bound in a number of configurations by clutching either feet or opposite hands.

Variations

Ardha Matsyendrasana I

In this pose, sit with one leg bent on the ground, the foot tucked in close to the body, and cross the other leg over across the body, the knee raised and bent, and the foot on the ground by the outside of the other leg. Twist the body and grasp the raised knee; or, bring the arm over to press against the raised knee; or clasp the hands behind the back.

Ardha Matsyendrasana III

From Ardha Matsyendrasana I, the bottom leg moves into Padmasana and arms bind by grabbing either foot.

Supta Matsyendrasana

For the reclining variant of the pose, starting from a supine position, stretch the arms out at shoulder level, bend one knee and rotate it and the hips across to the opposite side.